Connecting device.



H. J. BITTER.

CONNECTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 9, 1914.

Patented May 23, 1916.

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HENRY J. BITTER, 0F TIPPECANOE CITY, OHIO.

CONNECTING- DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 23, 1916.

Original application filed September 10, 1913, Serial No. 789,073. Divided and this application filed November 9, 1914. Serial No. 871,008.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY J. BITTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tippecanoe City, in the county of Miami and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Connecting Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to connecting devices for two part structures, and is de signed more particularly for use in connection with kitchen cabinets, and the present application is in the nature of a division of an application for patent filed by me Sept. 10th, 1913, Ser. No. 789,073.

Many articles of furniture, ofice equipment and the like, are so large that it is preferable that they should be made in two pieces in order that they may be more readily handled and shipped. It is necessary that some means should be provided for firmly uniting the two parts when they have been assembled in the place where the structure is to be used. Inasmuch as-the structures are often assembled and taken apart by persons wholly unskilled in mechanics and in the use of tools it is highly desirable that such connecting devices should be not only very simple and durable in their construction, but that they should be such that the two parts of the structure can be quickly and easily united without the use of tools and without mechanical knowledge on the part of the person who is assembling the structure. 6

The object of the present invention is to provide such a connecting device, and further, to provide such a device which Wlll serve not only to connect together the two parts of the structure, but will also serve to support two parts of one of the portions of the structure in separated positions to provide a space between them, such as the pocket commonly formed in kitchen cabinets to receive a sliding table.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is an end elevation, partly broken away, of a kitchen cabinet embodying my invention; and Fig. 2 is a detail view of the connecting device.

In these drawings I have illustrated one form of the invention, and have shown the same in connection with a kitchen cabinet. While the device was designed particularly for use in connection with kitchen cabinets, it is highly useful in connection with other structures and has a wide range of utility.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated the kitchen cabinet as comprising a lower portion 1 and an upper portion 2. The upper portion is usually of a less depth than the lower portion and is supported above the rear part of the lower portion, preferably resting on a portion of the lower structure. The cabinet is usually provided with a slidable table 3 which forms the top of the lower portion of the structure and is slidably mounted to permit it to be drawn out to provide a wide work table. The upper and lower parts of the cabinet are preferably formed separately to enable the cabinet to be more readily handled and crated for shipping. In order to firmly connect together the two parts of the structure, I have rigidly secured to the opposite ends of the lower portion thereof a plurality of brackets 4.. In the present instance I have mounted two brackets at each end of the structure, but this obviously is a matter to be determined by the character of the structure to be united. In this particular type of cabinet I employ a frame member 5 which is arranged above the top of the main portion of the lower structure and serves to form a pocket to receive the rear portion of the sliding table top 3'. This frame member 5 is supported in its proper position by means of the brackets 4 to which it is rigidly secured. The ends of the brackets project above the frame member 5, which forms the support for the upper portion of the structure, and are provided in their edges with approximately horizontal slots 6, the upper and lower walls of which preferably diverge toward the edges of the brackets. Further, the upper portions of the brackets are bent inward and then upward so that the inwardly bent portion will rest upon the upper surface of the frame member 5 and take the strain off the screws or other fastening devices by means of which the brackets are secured to the cabinet structure. This, however, is not an essential feature of the construction, and, if the two parts of the structure should be of the same length the brackets could be straight, that is, without the offset portions. Rigidly secured to the upper portion of the cabinet are a series of studs 7, corresponding in number and arrangement to the number of brackets carried by the lower portion of the cabinet. These studs are so arranged that when the two parts of the cabinet are in their proper relative positions, the studs will lie at the inner ends of the slots in the brackets. Thus, to assemble the two parts of the cablnet it is only necessary to lift the upper portion onto the lower portion with the studs in alinement with the notches and push the upper portion of the cabinet into position. The lugs will enter the slots and the parts will automatically position themselves. This construction is such that when the brackets are in engagement with the studs the parts will be firmly united and there will be little or no tendency for them to become separated. This is particularly true in the present arrangement of the brackets in which the slots open toward the rear of the cablnet, and, inasmuch as the cabinet is usually set against the wall, there is no tendency for the upper portion to be moved rearwardly even though pressure should be accidentally applied thereto. However, if desired, the studs may be in the form of screws, as shown in the drawings, and afterthe parts have been assembled the screws may be tightened down to firmly lock the parts together. This arrangement, while deslrable under some circumstances, is not a necessary part of the invention.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that I have provided connecting devices for rigidly securing the frame member to the lower portion of thecabinet in spaced relation thereto, said devices comprising parts extending above the frame member to secure thereto the upper portion of-the cabinet, thereby uniting the several parts into a single structure; that the connecting devices are of a character to permit the parts to be easily and quickly assembled by one wholly unskilled in mechanics and without the use of tools; and that I have provided a connecting device comprising a one piece bracket embodying within itself the several functions of the connecting device; and further, it will be apparent that the device is very strong and durable and will firmly hold the parts in their assembled positions.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of the invention and have illustrated the same as embodying a one piece connecting device, I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the details of construction shown and described, as obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a structure comprising an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion having a part adapted to support the upper portion, of connecting devices comprising brackets rigidly secured to the respective ends of the lower portion of said structure, having offset portions arranged to rest upon the upper surface of saidpart thereof and having vertical portions extending upwardly from saidv oif- 7 set portions and provided with slots opening through the edges thereof, and studs secured to the upper portion of said structure and arranged to lie in alinement with the open ends of said slots when the upper structure rests upon the supporting portion of the lower structure.

2. A kitchen cabinet comprising an upper portion and a lower portion, a frame member, brackets secured to said lower portion of said cabinet and to said frame member to support said frame-member above and out of engagement with said lower portion, each of said brackets having a portion extending above said frame members and provided with a substantially horizontal slot extending through one of the vertical edges thereof, and the upper portion having a corresponding number of lugs arranged to enter the slots of the brackets when the two parts of said cabinet are moved into their proper relative positions.

3. A kitchen cabinet comprising an upper portion and a lower portion, a frame member, brackets secured to said lower portion of said cabinet and to said frame member to support said frame member above and out of engagement with said lower portion each of said brackets having an offset portion to engage the upper surface of said frame member, and also having a portion extending above said frame member and provided with a substantially horizontal slot extending through one of the vertical edges thereof, and the upper portion of said cabinet having a corresponding number of lugs arranged to enter the slots of'the brackets when the two parts of said cabinet are moved into their proper relative positions.

4. In a kitchen cabinet, a main structure,

a frame member arranged above said main structure and spaced away therefrom, a plurality of connecting devices secured to said main structure and to said frame member at each end of said cabinet to support said frame member in spaced relation to said main structure and to form a pocket between said parts, the connecting devices at each end of said'cabinet being spaced apart to allow the ends of said pocket to remain open, said kitchen cabinet also comprising an upper portion mounted on said frame member, said connecting devices having parts extending above said frame member to secure said upper portion to saidmain structure.

5. A kltchen cabinet comprising an upper portlon and a lower portion, said lower porhaving parts extending above said frame member and provided with slots, and lugs carried by said upper portion of said cabinet to enter said slots.

In testimony whereof, I aifiX my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

HENRY J. BITTER.

Witnesses:

F. W. SOI-IAEFER, EDWARD L. REED.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G." 

